By John Rittenoure
TULSA, Okla. (May 20, 2022) – It was a family affair in Friday night’s AmeriFlex/Oil Capital Racing Series IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car main event at the New Tulsa Speedway.
Danny Smith and stepson Kyle Clark battled for the top spot. But dad got the last word, passing Clark for the final time late in the 30-lap feature to pick up the win.
It was the 12th OCRS career victory for Smith.
“I will probably have to eat dinner somewhere else,” laughed Smith of what life at home will be like in the coming week. “I get to talk some trash for another week.”
Clark led for most of the race before dad caught him at the halfway point. Smith tried to mount a pass for the lead on the high side of lap 15 and at one time slightly bumped Clark.
“He changed his line and I ran into the back of him,” Smith said. “But it was not hard enough to make him mess up. He was just a sitting duck. When you are in the lead you are not going to change that, and I was back there having to race people and move around a lot. I attacked the corners at different angles.”
Smith would sling shot Clark in the corners but could not hold the lead. Finally a slide into the lead held and Smith raced to victory.
“That is the difference in 30 years of experience,” Smith smiled. “It was an old man’s track. I don’t cut him no slack.”
“He has not got to race much with all the engine problems. It was good to get out here and have some fun.”
Clark settled for second after leading most of the race.
“Being the leader is sometimes the worse thing because you don’t know what to do,” said Clark. “I think the cautions hurt me a lot. I started seeing him about halfway and started changing my line. I probably should have kept doing what I was doing and might have won it.
“I would diamond the corners and he would slide me. He had a better car.”
Clark feels next time will be different.
“I will give him this one, but I won’t give him the next one,” said Clark.
A pair of champions finished behind the duo. 2018 champion Alex Sewell finished in third ahead of Joe Bob Lee in fourth.
Feature results – 1. Danny Smith; 2. Kyle Clark; 3. Alex Sewell 4. Joe Bob Lee; 5. Fred Mattox; 6. David Stephenson; 7. Steven Shebester; 8. Johnny Kent; 9. Terry Easum; 10. Austin Shores; 11. Jimmy Forrester; 12. Ryker Pace; 13. Blake Edwards; 14. Rees Moran; 15. Charlie Crumpton; 16. Elizabeth Phillips; 17. Sheldon Barksdale; 18. Zach Chappell; 19. Noah Harris; 20. Dean Drake Jr.
